Galaxy of Eminent Speakers

Today we are faced with a society, hungry for materialistic gains, accentuated with the spread of consumerism. A society deeply embedded in careerist and other materialistic gains has resulted in a cumulative effect which has given rise in a misbalance in its core values. Materialistic enjoyment should be achieved through a medium of sacrifice. This is indeed scientifically explainable so as to say that the ability to utilize human energy and potency to its maximum would be to utilize all of their respective qualities in a balanced manner in order to be able to extract their full potential.

Spirituality has different names but the basic idea is the same. It is the belief that there is something that exists which is much bigger than ourselves, much powerful and has lived much longer than any of us. The Creator, Brahma is Niraakaar, meaning, formless. Though science cannot give us a form, it definitely proves the existence of such an entity. Being a scientist I can state that keeping oneself away from spirituality is highly unscientific. It is time that we remind ourselves of the famous words of Albert Einstein who said 'Science without Religion is lame, Religion without Science is blind.'

We can refer to any religion and find that without spirituality or 'ruhaniat' humanity cannot be conceived and I am proud to say that India has always been a leader in spiritualism and 'ruhaniat'.Any religion which assists in breaking humanity is not a true religion. The work of religion is to bring all humanity together. Our Prophet had clearly stated that any born entity which has life in any form, is a part of God's family. As long as spirituality is not attained, inner peace cannot be achieved. It comes from within and to attain that, spirituality or 'ruhaniat' is absolutely essential.

Spirituality is the heart of Humanity. It is highly interesting to note that all religion have three things in common, namely 'values', 'symbols' and 'rituals'. As far as values are concerned, all religions propagate the message of compassion, love, grace, service and gratitude. If there are differences, then the difference lies in rituals and symbols. But unfortunately what has happened in this world today is that people have placed aside the values and are focusing on the rituals and practices. What is needed at this juncture is to impart spiritual education to the youthfor mass enlightenment.

It's time that we should become a part of some action that would help us fight challenges which include excessive population, growth in economic disparity and above all, increase in terrorism and violence. It is an unfortunate that violence for some of us has taken the shape of trade. There are innumerable people who profit from wars, mainly by selling weapons, and we can imagine how dangerous this situation is. However it is essential for us to remember that violence cannot be fought through violence. It only adds fuel to fire and makes situations worse. Therefore it is time that we take some positive action to help ourselves and others come out of the crisis.

As we set goals in our professional lives we need also to set spiritual goals. Meditation as one of the medium for attaining spirituality has been used as a therapy for aggressive prisoners in prison houses and it has brought about a positive result. Even in the field of medicine, it has been proved that meditation can, to some extent, cure blood pressure, ailments of the heart and other diseases. Hence, if the people of our country can pledge to turn themselves towards tranquility, even if it is for a short span of time every week, I am sure we will all experience a great change.

The greatest 'mantra' of the human life is to form a balance between our needs and wants. We might want a lot of things but in the process of acquiring it, we often lose a lot. Hence it is not important what we do. It is important how we do it. There is tremendous intolerance in man. There is gender intolerance, cultural prejudice, economic difference, social narrow mindedness and all this has turned man into an uncivilized beast. Thus to cure this malady, we will have to love ourselves.Unless we know how to love ourselves, we can never love others.

The difference between man and other living creatures lie in the fact that the former possess 'humanity'. The question that arises here is 'What is Humanity?' In a nutshell it can be said that humanity is the basic power of discriminating between good and bad. It is the controlling power of the senses, compassion for others, forgiveness, love, strictness to morality, discipline, to help others in need, to give due respect to all, purity and truthfulness.

Where there is truth, there is power. When our soul recognizes that spirit of truth, and further recognizes the truth of religion, the soul is endowed with inner power and strength. That strength effectively resists the negative impact of quarrel, egos, destruction and hatred. Only when we see, understand and appreciate the good quality in others, would we then be able to absorb such bouquet of goodness within ourselves, the fragrance of which we will then be able to spread to humanity nd reduce our negative emotions.

Spirituality unites us. It is an inner directed approach. Unlike Religion, which emphasizes on externals, spirituality is a search within oneself and hence, externals are not necessary. On the other hand, the reference point of spirituality is one's own experience. Teachings are to be lived and service is certainly one of the methods of disciplining the mind and getting to know one's own mind better. Service in that sense becomes one of the instruments for that inner search. 'Ahimsa'or non-violence was the path taken by Gandhiji, and he had stated to his detractors that he had followed his heart in choosing such a way. Thus he is one of the epitomes of examples for human-beings who believed in the practice of inner search for peace within oneself.

A principal objective of a dialogue is to bridge the gap in knowledge about other civilizations, cultures and societies, to lay the organizations for dialogue based on universally shared values. To undertake concrete activities, inspired and driven by dialogue, especially in the areas of education, cultural diversity and heritage, the sciences, communication, and media. Great personalities like Gandhi act as example of people who lived what they preached. It is essential for us to find our base and we must realize that religion comes afterwards. We are human beings and that's our main identity. We must remember that we are created by the same God.

Spiritualism for me means a human impulse to reach out towards a greater goal of which we are a part; to realize that interconnectedness; to feel that bond. Everyone is busy with their daily struggle of pursuing their own interests. In the process, people are slowly distancing themselves from spirituality. I often find that people are confusing spiritualism with religion. I feel that once realization dawns in, every individual would stop thinking about his or her petty interests and start thinking of the bigger picture. This will help them achieve inner peace, realize their own infinite power, and help them become evolved human beings.

The network of selfishness comes from the conquest of your own desires. The Upanishad says that if you are able to conquer your desires then happiness is ten times more than what it would be otherwise. The five things that desire leads to are anger, jealousy, egotism, greed and attachment. Spirituality is endless happiness, which we translate as bliss. The network of selfishness comes from the conquest of your own desires. The concept of 'nirvana' is a level where one becomes senseless to one's own needs. The end result of wisdom is freedom. The end result of culture is perfection. The end result of knowledge is love and the end result of education is character.

Scientific researchers have proved that sound is nothing but a vibration. Yet it has an immense impact on those who hear it. 'Elevation', 'purification' and 'vibration', these are the key words related to music and sprits. Music is the soul of languages. Spirituality has a wide variety of cultural and religious concepts. It is often seen as a path along which Man advances to achieve a given objective, such as a higher state of awareness or communion with God. Music which can make such an immense impact on our soul can definitely be used to win the battle for peace. Outstanding composers always stress on the practice of music of our inner selves.

Sustainable agriculture leads one to realize the importance of nature. The essence of sustainability is to work in harmony with nature. A biodynamic practice epitomizes and catalyzes this realization. . It is a method of organic farming that treats farms as unified and individual organisms, emphasizing balancing the holistic development and interrelationship of the soil, plants, animals as a self-nourishing system without external inputs in so far as this is possible. There are three distinct streams of spiritual thought: the Vedas, the Yoga and the Sankhya philosophy. The Bhagwad Gita is a harmonious interpretation of all these three distinct spiritual streams. The Bhagwad Gita affirms that a conscious balance must be attained between the desire and need.

India is a source of religion and spirituality. She is the mother of humanity. As a mother she has the responsibility of feeding, sharing and educating her children in the way of sacred knowledge. Peace on earth begins here in India. Giving consideration to the possibility of reincarnation which may facilitate change the way one thinks about human behavior. Reincarnation of the human soul is much more than a human belief. It is an integral component of spiritual psychology. Once we step into our past lives, we begin to heal ourselves not only physically and emotionally, but also spiritually. We must keep in mind that what we hate most or what we love most, we will have an experience of it in our future life.

'Energies' which exists around us influences both of our mind and body. Pranic healing is a no-touch therapy in which we heal the energy that surrounds the physical body. The physical body that we talk about has two aspects. One is the visible part, the physical body and the other is another body that surrounds the physical body. It is an energy field which intermingles with the physical body and also extends beyond. It sustains us and has the vital life force that keeps us alive, and it's termed as 'prana'. The energy body is called the 'aura'. The 'aura' has power stations called 'chakras' which are constantly taking in the 'prana' from the atmosphere and releasing the used up 'prana'. Hence the 'chakras', our thoughts, and our emotions need to be purified. Meditations are therefore recommended to cleanse the 'aura'.

Music upholds the mystery of the human soul and also conveys it to the ear. Music is a spiritual language. The Indian concept of the 'Naad Brahma' and the strong ties between music and spirituality in the Indian context are centuries old. Both the classical and folk traditions of music are compiled in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The Adi Granth was first compiled by the Fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev (1563-1606), from hymns of the First Five Sikh Gurus and other great saints, including those of the Hindu and Muslim faith. Of inestimable significance is the composition of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in Divine Poetry. Lovers of God invariably choose to express and communicate their mystic experiences in this language of love and the language of spirit. Musicality adopted in the composition is also unique.

"Vote of Thanks"
Respected Shri Kanoria ji, eminent scholars, spiritual leaders and my young friends, I think we owe with gratitude a vote of thanks to the organizers, especially Mr. Kanoria for giving us this wonderful event and to all the speakers who have come all the way. We hope that we will have this event every year.

Chairperson of the Session; Corporate Leader; Intellectual.; Scholar and now Currently he is the Chairman and Managing Trustee of the Indian Professional Service Organization and represents the British Consulate, London

The Conference is meant to emphasize the essential unity of all religions. The sub title is a journey within through service. The sub title indicates that man's life is a pilgrimage. As the Upanishad states, the path is sharp like a razor's edge. Hence it is difficult to cross. Nonetheless there are ways and means that every tradition prescribes in order to help man achieve his last and final ends. There is an essential unity between man and society and there is also an essential unity between all religion and these unities bind all of us together. Diversity is essential because of the diversity of man.

Reiki as an alternative therapy is increasingly becoming visible throughout the world as a substitute to traditional medical treatment. It was Dr. MikaoUsui from Japan, who rediscovered the technique of Reiki. Reiki is a Japanese word in which 'Rei' means Universal or 'sarvavyapi' while 'ki' means energy or 'jivanishakti'. It simply means the energy that repairs mental and physical damages and sustains life. Reiki treats us spiritually. It is effective and simple to practice.The Reiki master initially activates the four 'chakras' (heart chakra, throat chakra, third eye chakra and crown chakra). Attunement is the process of activating the 'chakras'. Once done, it remains with us forever.

Our mind is divided into two parts; the Conscious and the Sub-conscious, the later holds the modern memories of childhood as well as past life memories, and the former is our logical reasoning, thinking mind that we use all the time when we are awake. It talks loudly and technically can be termed as the 'Ego Mind'.The human being is part of the whole called the universe, a part limited in space and time. Most of us experience our thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion. This delusion is a kind of prison for us restricting us to our personal desires and affections for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in all its beauty.

It is imperative that all men and women have a vision of how they could contribute to the culture of peace and face the challenge of violence. Some of these wars were fought in the name of religion. Unfortunately, today it is the lack of this human sensitivity which is partly responsible for the violence and decadence that we see all around. There is no simple solution to this scourge. Besides religious leaders, artists, sportsmen, and persons with honourable background can play an integral part for spreading the message of peace. It is evident that the problem of violence is complex and multidimensional. Our religious traditions have rich resources which would guide us in facing this challenge.

Faith gives the mind the strength to survive in adverse conditions, as sleeping on the road during cold winters. Human beings have super powers in them, and broadly two powers- Shubha Shakti and Ashubha Shakti. The power to do good work for the benefit of the world, for the benefit of the society, for the benefit of any individual being collectively grouped as Shubha Shakti and also evil power which is termed as Ashubha Shakti. Bare and minimum needs should be provided to each and every individual. Advances towards Mukti is the worthiest gain of Man.Arise and show your manhood, not in the spirit of a master, not with the rotten canker of egoism crawling with the superstitions and charlatanry of feast, but in the spirit of a servant.

The interesting topic, namely the Confluence of Humanity, Power and Spirituality is suggestive of a desirable or urgently needed goal. The ingrained human power needs to be tempered and channelized with spirituality towards humanity and human welfare. Spirituality alone can turn the direction of ordinary self centeredness, towards a greater direction where we can feel for others, understand others and serve others. The ill effects of self centeredness can be seen all around us.

An enlightened person has the capability to resolve all the issues that we are facing in the world today. Religion promises to show the path towards enlightenment which is a blissful state of consciousness. Once you make the journey, you realize that there is no difference between the self and the supreme. To achieve that state of consciousness, one needs to make a journey, a journey within and also to the outside world. Harmony is attained through love, empathy and togetherness. Once you make the journey, you realize that there is no difference between the self and the supreme.The elements of spiritual humanism are devotion, service to man, sacrifice and faith in religious pluralism.

The person who abides by the human ethics is a true human being. God created this universe and gave man the free will. All religions and the ultimate reality is one. The temple and the mosque are one, all men are the same, and they just appear different. The understanding that God resides in all of us, will help us to be tolerant, understanding and above all, respect our fellow beings.We should share our power, prosperity and wisdom with others. We should share our hard earned money with others who are in dire need.The family is the smallest sphere of activity in the service of humanity. But too much attachment with the family is a great hindrance in the service of humanity. All inventions of science should be used only for the betterment of mankind.

The cage or the body-mind complex has been limited by time, space and causation. There is a self within us which is afraid at the prospect of losing the different benefits that we have in a particular station in life. Yet there is a voice calling within which says - No! Leave, give up, go beyond, and look beyond. You are not confined to this lone body of yours. Our small frame of an individuality, it gets frightened at the prospect of our individuality being broken down. This is where the different Yoga, the different paths to spiritual enlightenment come into the picture. Among the different Yoga, Karma Yoga is offering all the fruits of work at the feet of God, the lord. Service leads to Enlightenment.

Despite 'spirituality' being given different names in different regions, it seems without a doubt and with certainty that all religions have fundamental unity in one way or the other. As known, the basics of any religion in the world or its teachings principally look behind the welfare of man and that too with wider signs of equality of all, growth of Man in all fields of life and of course his spiritual advancement ultimately and in achieving the goal of life. Further, tolerance for which Hinduism speaks very high in 'VasudhaivaKutumbakam' - The whole world is but one family. This is essential today more than the past as today we are rapidly moving towards unity, uniformity and commonness of all. In my opinion, practical unity to perfect fundamental teachings, to create a common platform is of utmost importance today.

Religion is nothing but realization. Religions search for truth and the aim of this confluence is also to search the truth. It is essential for all of us to get rid of our egos and realize that we all are the Children of God. No matter what religion we follow, we are essentially the same. I am here reminded of Kabir who said :
'Jab main hoontohHarinahi
Jab Harihaitoh main nahi.'
(The moment you realize that you are a part of the divinity, you forget your petty boundaries.)
I thank Mr. Kanoria for taking a lead in this grand endeavor of bringing together all the literary scholars and philosophers under a common forum. I thank Justice ShymalSen for giving us a balanced idea of justice and religion. My sincere gratitude to Swami Sivamayanandaji, Swami Santatmanandaji, Prof.IndraNathChoudhuri, Padma Bhushan Dr. InderjitKaur, Swami Tyagarupanandaji, Dr. Nesrin Kenar and Dr. Ravindra Kumar for their enlightening discourses. I would also like to thank Smt. Kanoria ji for being an inspiration behind making this confluence a success.
Last but not the least, my appreciation and gratitude go to all those people who have worked relentlessly to make this conference a reality."

Most of these diseases, especially in poor countries are poverty-driven and can lead to death. Global warming is one of the causes for many of the old and new found diseases. Continued intervention measures are required for elimination of a specified disease in a defined geographical area as a result of deliberate efforts. With the systematic implementation of certain Health Programme by several organizations like W.H.O., the deadly diseases have been reduced to 'zero-occurrence' level. Non-effective water-governance and the curse of poverty and its effect on humanity has indeed been a recurring problem for eons. Inner spirituality is reflected in the radiant smile of the disease-free citizens.

It is to be noted that 'diarrheal diseases' as the third-most leading infectious killer maladies in the world. Poverty, political connotations, public ignorance, and the fear of the disease are the major causes of diarrheal diseases. However there is a decline in the death rate caused by diarrhea. One of the major reasons was the discovery of 'Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS)'. Some other interventions that could have an important effect on death rates were breast feeding, access to clean water, washing hand with soap and use of antimicrobials in dysentery.

Like the past - the Year 1905 "Annuls Mirabilis" (The Miracle Year) where Albert Einstein presented four scientific path-breaking papers; so also the Year 2007 had shaped into another such great achievement of scientific and medical inventions. The immense potential of predictive medicine and stem cell research could direct us to a new vista regarding the identification and treatment of congenital defects. Biotechnology is to be applied in the field of agriculture, including animal sciences and aqua culture, in health care, environmental studies, energy sector, for industrial production and employment generation. Biotechnology is the business of the future. To broaden this horizon we need to make huge efforts in research; commercialization of the product by partnering with industries, etc.

Vice-Chancellor of Sulabh International Academy of Environmental Sanitation

The role of cultural and ethnic heritage and rituals, religious heritage and customs and various socio-economic factors in perception of health and hygiene in society is very critical. Knowledge and science determine not only the perception but also the resultant behaviour and practice of health and hygiene in a society. Religious wisdom and science should take a unified approach to preserve the sanctity of human body and mind. Since we do not live in a secluded island, but in a society, the basic physical health of a person depends largely on the moral, the social, and the spiritual, environmental health of the society. I would also echo the words of Mahatma Gandhi- 'Our planet has enough to take care of everybody's need, but nobody's greed.

Eminent Scientist, and Former Director of Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow

Actually holistic therapy or the holistic approach is all about treating the whole body. 'A healthy mind in a healthy body in a healthy environment' - It is achieved through a balanced diet, yoga, prevention of infection and healthy environment. Holistic therapy mainly comprises of herbal medicine. Holistic approach is the synthesis of therapeutic experiences of generation of practicing physicians. Modern scientific approach to medicine is to identify specifically acting low molecular weight compounds with adequate activity in a suitable target assay and they should be synthesis-driven, pharmacologically safe and patentable.

The doctors should raise the awareness of their patients about potent remedies present in the nature; and one's power can facilitate one to attain spirituality. The role of communications is one of the prime factors to the making of relationships between a doctor and his/ her patient. Holistic medicine does not only take care of our health, it treats the patient with respect and care as a human-being; and helps to develop his/hers spiritual faculties by inspiration. The concept behind holistic medicine is 'epigenomics, ayurved and environmental toxicology'. The natural progression of knowledge towards wisdom cannot be complete, if the accumulation of knowledge does not integrate with a person's gut instinct.

The founder of Vedanta Vision and Founder- Managing Trustee of Vedanta Trust

There is only one test for acquiring spiritual development and that test is the ability to feel unity with people who are different from you. Vedanta says -'Ekam' and 'Awdwitiyom', putting emphasis on the concept of emphasis. It also says-'Bosudhaiba Kutumbakam' which means that the whole world is our family. We do not find God in the temples, mosques and churches alone. The presence of God is felt in all the beings of this world. Once we find God in every living being, we worship him everywhere, every moment of our life. Oneness enables us to see the best in others, it prevents everybody from being insecure and it helps everybody to form an indestructible understanding of each other. It empowers us with true knowledge. When you identify yourself with-'Atman' (Universal Soul), there remains no boundary for you.

The concept of spirituality is the innermost reality that resides in each of us. When we dream, our physical body lies on the bed and our mind moves out of our body and floats everywhere. Thus we do not only possess a physical existence, we have a mental existence as well. After 'bahubalam' and 'manobalam', we have 'budhdhibalam'- the power of intellect. Beyond our body, mind and intellect there is another state, known as the 'deep sleep state'. As we realise our worth beyond the physicality of this existence, we feel the presence of divine spirit in our midst. This is the ultimate connection between humanity, power and spirituality. Every human being is the veritable manifestation of the divine spirit. We need to emphasize this connection in our daily doings. Serving all human beings is akin to serving the Almighty.

We are eternally connected to God. We can't claim ourselves to be an individual, who does not belong to the infinite. Without an unchanged and absolute reality, the life will have no meaning. When there is so sun, no moon, all the speeches have been hushed, a man only progresses through the light of his soul, called-'aatmojyoti'. All you need to do is to be aware of this fact, to feel the state of glory within yourself. The glory of self-realisation makes you enabled to enjoy all the goods of this world. The act of realising one's own self is a birthright. Aatmojyoti reveals the person, true to his nature. We must not call ourselves weak, because we sit on this citadel of eternal bliss.

Spirituality is one's inner quality that makes one transcends the barriers of worldliness. Religion is for spiritual guidance and growth of people. It is a major source for promoting peace, harmony, liberty and justice. It helps one realize one's connection with the truth. We must use religions to maintain and enrich our cultural and religious plurality which is our asset. God is spirit. God is love, God is light, and God is beyond form, beyond time, beyond sex, beyond colour and beyond religion. God created each one of us in his own image and so every person is sacred and divine. Spiritual leaders need to raise voices against corruption, injustice, communal violence and promote harmony and peace.

Humanity is love and The Vedic Literature explains that we are all a part and parcel of Krishna who is the symbol of the Supreme Being. Dharma can be defined as the nature of the spirit soul. The nature of the body is to enjoy (bhogya) and renounce (tyaga); whereas the nature of the mind is sankalpa and bikalpa. Real love is beyond all dharma and if one attains that love, he attains real bliss. Dharma of the spirit-soul is nothing but love. The basic difference between an animal and a human being lie in the inquisitiveness. Man needs to make a journey from the selfish to the selfless. The purpose of religion is to understand God and develop a consciousness that promotes kindness, understanding and love for all.

Humanity describes the kind feeling, dispositions, and sympathies of man as well as the disposition to relive men or animas in distress. Jainism, is also explained along the same lines, encompasses not only the human beings, but also the animals and the natural elements, like the air, water, earth and the fire. According to Jainism, right belief, knowledge and conduct together with id defines the path for spiritual purification. This path of purification, when pursued, automatically brings worldly happiness and peace, along the way. It talks of tranquillity or the state of bliss as the ultimate peace. In Jainism spirituality and religion are seen as identical, yet different concepts. Religion is one of the ways through which the human beings experience spirituality. According to Jainism, right belief, knowledge and conduct together id the path for spiritual purification.

The knowledge of being happy and the distribution of happiness among the fellow citizens is one of the main tenets of spirituality. This is only possible when our own soul connects with the cosmic light. The different faiths form the essential spirituality and together they speak of the infinite self. In human energy field, there are beautiful colours and radiance of the hello when the chakras are developed. In Zoroastrian religion, we have 16 main chakras from head to feet, out of more than 72 auras. Every chakra is different because their functions are different.

God cannot be confined to religious boundaries. We must realize that God can be discovered in one's own heart. Guru Nanak realized that music is the best way to reach one's heart. It is the ignorance about the true spirit of religions that causes intolerance and friction. With the emergence of the new dimension of information technology, the young generation has been led astray and misguided as far as religion and religious understanding is concerned. Hence we should fall back on the teachings of Nanak where he propagated to create mutual trust, to be sensitive towards others viewpoints and eventually to discover the true spirit of our nation.

Love allows the believer to see the spiritual beauty of God that is present in all things. The Sufis believe that the highest form of human love is in the pure love for the divine. They also believe that when man attains the friendship of God, he does not exist anymore as a human being. He attains the same status as the Almighty and the Almighty speaks through him. Sufis, through music, song and dance demonstrates their love for the Almighty. Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as "a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God."

A Monk in the Ramakrishna Mission, Ex -Principal of the Sikshana Mandira Teachers' Training College at Belur Math and Registrar of the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University at Belur Math

Religion is often taken as a matter of faith, something you believe in. Science is based on causality and religion also starts from there. So religion is not against thinking and reason. It does not contradict but rather compliments science. Spirituality is rooted in reason. It may go beyond reason but it is not against reason. True liberalism is when you are rooted in your own tradition, and yet have a liberal attitude towards all others. . A variety of sects, opinions, teachers, Gods and even religions without God, exists. This openness is deep rooted in the Indian psyche. It's time that we reminded ourselves of our own tradition. We must remember that religion is based on spirituality and spirituality is undoubtedly universal.

In Dharma goodness and righteousness is what is to be adopted. Duty becomes connected to Dharma in Vedic philosophy. Thus, dharma in brief is an essential condition of humankind dedicated to the welfare of all. All religions also believe in the superiority of human beings. All men have been created by the same power and have the same blood and flesh. Hence discriminations are artificial and without equality, achievement of common goal is possible.In today's world of globalization, the world seems to be shrinking. Interdependence and the tempo of contact are increasing day by day. The significance of similarities between religions therefore has become more vital than the past.

The inability of humanity to travel together is the problem we face. We need to be tolerant of those who might think differently, worship other Gods or speak in a different tongue. Delayed development has created a sense of resentment among people and it has manifested itself in forms of violence. The intellectuals can take a proactive role in peace building and social transformation. Teachers need to awake as prophets. Let us do good deeds and slowly we will realize the change happening around us. This self realization will lead us to love thy neighbor. Last and not the least, families reflect the quality of society and it needs a support system, which will provide them a cushion to fall back in times of pitfalls.

"Welcome Address"
Paraphrasing Swami Vivekananda: Each person has their own religion built on their experiences, knowledge and understanding of God and Spirituality. But whatever the path they choose, the destination is always the same, the ocean of peace- God.I hope that in the wealth of wisdom that is shared in the confluence, you find the seeds of knowledge that will help you shape your own path to greater peace and joy.

Love is religion. There has been a constant argument between 'buddhi' (Intellect) and 'bhav' (Feeling/Realisation). 'Lok' does not only mean human beings in our society but it additionally includes everything around us that has life. The direction of 'bhav tatwa' leads us 'Lok' does not only mean human beings in our society but it additionally includes everything around us that has life. has its limitations whereas 'bhakti' and 'bhav' has no barriers and limitations. Hence life's greatest manifestation is belief or 'astha'. But that does not mean that science, logic and intellect are of no importance. Real knowledge arises from ones being on the ground and experiencing the reality. Life is to live with Ashtha (Hope) and Bhakti.

Dharma makes people nobler and brings about piousness in them. The eternal truth is one, but different people put it differently. We may have differences but we need to pierce the way in order to emphasize the essential unity of all religion. To realize it fully, we should look into the concept of duty. Duty springs for the rights. As Gandhi had said that while the approach in the West has been their emphasis on human rights, we in the East look at the concept of duty. Therefore, it is necessary for us to search the eternal truth. It's a duty we need to perform for ourselves and also towards our fellow beings. I am sure that this kind of conference will guide us towards our objective.

There is nothing nobler than man. If you wish to define man from the traditional aspect, you will realize that man cannot be separated from the Creator. We all have come from one source and we all shall go back to the same. There is a mysterious relationship among all constituents in the universe. Man is just a small part of it, though the most important and the best of all. Man is after all a part of Brahma. He is bound spiritually with the Creator. Different religions and traditions view man differently but they all proclaim man's inseparable relationship with God. Unless the mind of man is trained and purified, man cannot come up with resolutions to his self made problems that include terrorism, racism etc. Purification begins with practice of morality. A balance of these brings a balance in society and life.

"Harmonious growth of humanity and spirituality has been propagated by all religions and yet what does history show us? We see all around us millions being sacrificed on the altar of religion. In the name of religion, people try to gain supremacy over one another and over other religions. In order to arrive at the realization of religious equality and spiritual consciousness this World Confluence of Humanity, Power and Spirituality have been organized."

Head Organizing Committee, World Confluence of Humanity, Power and Spirituality

"His grace Archbishop Lucas Sirkar, eminent guests of honour, distinguished guest speakers Shri Amar Kumar, Ms. Blossom Furtado, Dr. HomiDhalla and members of the audience, a very warm welcome to you all. The last two days have been an enchanting experience for us all and the journey within us so far has been truly satisfying. Today's proceedings will take us on a captivating trip through the realm of therapies aimed at healing the mind, body and soul. For humanity the human touch is most important because if we cannot treat each other with respect the mission of love cannot be accomplished.
A special thanks to Mr. H.P. Kanoria whose commitment and passion for this cause has made this conference possible."

I see India with great many opportunities. I am a firm believer in the nationalism advocated by Shri Arobindo. Today I am here to tell you what I see as opportunities
Gandhi said, "Quit India" I say, "Hug orphaned India".

My dear friends, God bless you. I am happy that many excellent thoughts are expressed so well in this conference. God bless this holy effort.We can heal many things. We can witness many events. But all this will come to nothing if we do not experience His (God's) gifts of goodness, holiness and peace. When you look into the eyes of a bird, we enjoy a strange kind of innocence in them. We need to understand the meaning of globalizing innocent holiness. We all live for just a few years in this world and on our death we carry nothing from this world.

I thank Mr. Kanoria for his vision and his untiring efforts to make the Conference a grand success. In today's proceedings, our focus was on the search for peace. Here I would like to refer to our Guru, Archana Ma, who had written "Biddeshethakjotoiagun, se agunejolena deep, bhalibasharchottoaloyepujarpradip tai jelechi" - (Hatred, no matter how strong it is, cannot lead to anything fruitful. But one's tiny effort to spread love can make miracles happen).

When the sleeping soul is roused to self conscious activity, power, goodness and glory comes automatically. In India we treat the earth as our mother, nurturing us, nourishing us and protecting us. Hence we need to grow out of our limited conceptions and look upon humanity as a vast congruence, irrespective of nationality, creed, kind and other such petty barriers. Among all the Power residing internally in us (knowledge, physical strength, 'kaama', forbearance, and truth); faith in oneself and the strength of renunciation is also a massive source of power for man. The source of unselfishness rests in the 'atman' of man.

Health Care has seen a lot of paradigms - Clinical, Community Health, Social Improvement of Health, and Positive Health. But at no time before it become apparent to everybody that one man's health affects the other, and it is becoming difficult possible to have a positive health. Today what we see is a phenomenal part of community action on health, where health is no longer the responsibility of the individual, the society or of the government solely but of collective accountability. The challenges which humanity faces today are common challenges and one man's actions affect the others. We should spend more time in thinking about health as a consequence which goes beyond the economies of increasing cost of health care.

Our quest of God should take help from science to achieve the ultimate spiritual goal. But we need to follow our own path in seeking the ultimate spiritual goal. To get rid of the problem of starvation, which causes social and political unrest, and to achieve food and nutrition security all over the country, it is necessary to acquaint farmers with modern technology. With the help of nutritional genomics, genetically modifying certain crops, it is possible to cure problems arising out of under nourishment and malnutrition. Science is an eternal journey symbolizing the triumph of human mind over matter that goes on incessantly through the ages.

Spirituality is not only meant for our senior citizens, it is also for the young people of our society. There is God within; you must make yourself worthy of the divine presence that resides in you. It is very important to accept the failures and not to be disheartened by them. We must not be in fear of failures and mistakes. Perseverance would help us to achieve the objective over a period of time. That is strength which spirituality provides to all of us. The spirituality inspires us to lead a better life. It is as simple as that. Application of knowledge could enrich our lives by creating value not just for individual beings, but for the society as a whole.

The most difficult job is akin to the easiest job that there is. It may sound a little quixotic, but I believe in its reality. The job may seem difficult to us, if we do not belong to the same wave-length and if we do not have the ability to understand the feelings of other people. The moment we match ourselves to the wave-length of other people can make ourselves aware of the feelings of others. Science, technology and philosophy should be combined with each other and only the resultant effect could induce us to know more about who we are. Basic goodness is in all of us and the intrinsic altruism that resides in our soul. The task of humanizing the society is far from being complete and once we complete the work we will be in unison with the Universe.

Competing with countries to become a super-power can lead to a state of moral degradation, environmental exploitation, ethical degeneration, cultural pollution and spiritual deterioration. True empowerment is all about possessing the ability to influence the world in a peaceful and positive way. It provides happiness and self-confidence to all of us; it helps to enhance our intellectual prowess. Rationality differentiates human beings from other animals. Prophets taught us to approach everyone with equal respect and find God in everything living. Only this realisation can make the whole world a complete unit, threaded together by the message of peace. This can lead to universal brotherhood, where nobody would be bothering about material gains.

Islam comes from the root word 'Salaam', which means peace. It also comes from the root word 'Aslim', which means submitting your will to Almighty God. Islam conveys peace acquired by submitting your will to Almighty God. You need to go the scriptures of other faiths to understand the concept of God in their respective faiths. If you want to remove religious fanaticism, you need to understand the faith of other people. As the root-word of Islam is 'Salaam', meaning peace, the religion is aimed at making a world full of peace and happiness, devoted to Almighty God.

Sisterhood of the Brahma Kumaris; motivational speaker, and raj-yoga meditation

At every step of our lives, we create our own destiny. Mind shapes all the thoughts we have. As a thought is created, the next immediate stage is-'action', guided by feelings. Our attitude is reflected in our actions and our actions form the basis for our habits. When we empty ourselves of negative thoughts, we are able to identify our happiness, creativity and innovativeness and intuition. We must empower ourselves with the willingness to let go, forgive and forget. It requires practice and concentration along with mental flexibility. The tutor is within all of us; it is called the inner voice. If you face any problem at your workplace or even at your home, just draw inspiration from the Power of God and defend your soul with the positive energy. It is God's grace and it is within you. It is the protective energy.

All souls originate from the universal soul of 'Paramatma'. We must not forget that humanity is Godliness and Godliness is humanity. Humanity is associated with love, compassion, mercy and sacrifice. Spirituality is all about embracing the concept of self-introspection vis-a-vis totality. It concerns the soul, which is constant and silent witness of our actions and thoughts. Humanity, power and spirituality are very closely related. What links them together is faith. We must have faith on the laws of the universe and we must believe in the Creator of these laws. Faith is the beginning of the journey towards realization. And everyone must follow their own path to reach Him. Knowledge, yoga, good deeds or devotion, whatever is the method.

Ladies and gentleman, and all the designated guests on the dais, I thank you for such a wonderful programme. Intellectual purity and freedom is the essence of human creation. I take this opportunity, on behalf of SREI and SREI FOUNDATION, to thank one and all, who have contributed to this small effort of creating a beautiful world, in times of torment. In the last four days, we have been enlightened by different speakers who have come here and shared their experience with all of us. However, the effort would have gone in vain, had there not been such a brilliant response from the audience. I thank the audience as well, for making this confluence truly successful. I would also like to thank Mr. Rahul Varma and his team for their tireless effort in making this programme possible. Lastly, no amount of 'thanks' would be enough for Mr. H.P. Kanoria, who is the spirit behind this confluence.

We are part of that supreme energy, it manifests in all of us. We must connect the human 'atma' with the Almighty - 'Parramatta', as we connect our mobiles to the satellites. According to Upanishad, 'Bramha' resides in every being-the earth, the fire, the sun and all the elements. It envisages the role of spirituality within us, the immense power that lies latent within ourselves. We can achieve whatever we want, if we actually want it and work towards it.

People's faith is shaped by their circumstances and the environment in which they live. The common man is incapable of realising the supreme reality of the Godhead, which is, it has neither a beginning nor an end. We have to realise the presence of God within us. It has long been said that science starts from the known and proceeds to the unknown whereas religion starts from the unknown and proceeds to the known. However, quantum physics and quantum equations have brought science closer to the belief that there is a supreme power existing, responsible for creation. Religion teaches us not only self-control, but the mind can be controlled to move matters. It is the mind which commands the body.